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What to Send Former Colleagues to Stay in Touch
Send former colleagues a short, specific note that names something real you shared and asks for nothing. That could be a project, a lesson or a hard week. That rule, a specific memory with no ask, makes the note feel like friendship, not networking. Keep it under 120 words. Mention what you each do now, and leave an easy opening to reply or grab coffee.
Former colleagues often know your work best, and they scatter fast once someone leaves. A short note in the first months keeps the tie from quietly fading. Staying in touch is far easier than restarting after years of silence.
What makes it land is detail. Mention a project, a habit or a moment only the two of you share. Keep any ask out of it unless you say so up front. People reply to messages that sound like they were written for them.
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Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
10 examples to copy
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See how it works.
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Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Email: The week after you leave, to a close teammate
Subject: Staying in touch after [Company]
Why it works: It names a real thing they did and hands over personal contact details. That turns a goodbye into an open door.
2. Text: When they just started somewhere new
Why it works: It's quick and warm. It gives them an easy reason to reply with an update.
3. Email: After two years of silence, no ask
Subject: Thought of you this week
Why it works: Opening with how their work still matters to you makes the long gap fade. It also removes any fear of an ask.
4. Email: Thanking a former manager who shaped you
Subject: Something I never properly thanked you for
Why it works: Specific credit for a specific moment is the rarest and most remembered kind of thanks a manager gets.
5. Text: Something reminded you of them
Why it works: A shared memory is a low-pressure reason to reach out that needs no explanation.
6. Email: Congratulating them on a promotion or announcement
Subject: Congrats on [new role]
Why it works: It ties their win to something you saw firsthand. Saying no long reply is needed makes responding easy.
7. Email: Reconnecting when you do have a small ask
Subject: A question from your old [Company] teammate
Why it works: Naming the ask openly respects their time. It lands far better than a fake catch-up that turns into a request.
8. Email: Sharing something useful for their current work
Subject: Saw this and thought of your team
Why it works: Sending something tied to their current job shows you pay attention. It keeps you useful, not just nostalgic.
9. Text: You'll be in their city
Why it works: A set time and place makes the reunion really happen. Otherwise it stays a vague plan to get together.
10. Email: After the old company was acquired, restructured or shut down
Subject: The old [Company] crew
Why it works: Offering specific help during a hard moment is the kind of message people remember for years.
Sending these to more than a few people? See how people keep track of who to follow up with, and when: what a personal CRM does and the best personal CRMs, compared.
When to send it
- Within the first two weeks after you or they leave. The shared work is still fresh, and contact details still work.
- When there's a real trigger, like a new role, a promotion, company news, or something that reminded you of them.
- At least a few weeks before you need anything. If you do need a favor, say so in the first lines instead of hiding it.
- Once or twice a year for people you want to keep close. Tie it to a real reason, not a holiday blast.
- Email work contacts on weekday mornings. Keep texts to normal waking hours in their time zone.
Subject lines
- Staying in touch after [Company]
- Thought of you this week
- Something I never properly thanked you for
- Congrats on [new role]
- The old [Company] crew
- Saw this and thought of your team
- It's been too long
- Still using your [specific method]
- A [Company] memory I had to share
- Coffee next time I'm in [city]?
- How's life at [New Company]?
- From your old desk neighbor
- A question from your old [Company] teammate
- Remember [specific project]?
- Cheering for you from here
- My new contact info, let's keep in touch
What to avoid
- Opening with a favor after years of silence while pretending the note is a casual catch-up.
- Sending a generic line like 'Hope all is well, let's connect!' that could go to anyone.
- Complaining about the old company or a former boss. It reflects on you, and messages get forwarded.
- Writing to their old work email after they've left. It bounces or lands with whoever got the inbox.
- Turning the note into a long update about your own life instead of asking about theirs.
- Copying the whole former team on a message meant to feel personal to one person.
After you send it
If you don't hear back, wait about two weeks. Then send one short follow-up that adds something new, like a link or a question about their role. Don't ask if they saw your email. If there's still nothing, let it rest. A warm note is never wasted. Once you reconnect, reach out every three to six months with a real reason. Good reasons are their news, a useful intro or a quick congrats. Set a calendar reminder so it doesn't depend on memory.
Building the habit: how to keep in touch with contacts and what a personal CRM does.
Lots of old coworkers, one rhythm Put a whole group of former colleagues on a check-in every few months in one step. Each note is written for that person, and you approve every one.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a nice goodbye message for colleagues?
A nice goodbye message thanks colleagues for something specific, says where you're headed and gives a personal way to reach you. For example: 'Today's my last day. Thank you for [specific detail], especially [moment]. I'm off to [New Company], and I'd love to stay in touch at [email or phone].' Keep it short and skip complaints. Send your own notes to the few people who mattered most.
What is a short message to send a former colleague?
A short message names one shared memory and asks one easy question. Try: 'Hi [Name], I was thinking about [specific project] at [Company] today and it made me smile. How's everything at [New Company]?' Two or three sentences is plenty for a text or quick email. Just make sure the detail is real and specific to them.
Is it weird to message an ex colleague out of the blue?
No, it's rarely weird. Most people are glad to hear from someone they worked with. It only feels odd when the message is vague or hides an ask. Give a reason for writing, like something that reminded you of them or news you saw. Then the out-of-the-blue part disappears.
How do I reach out to an old colleague I haven't talked to in years?
Note the gap briefly. Then lead with a specific memory or how their work still shapes yours. Skip long apologies for the silence. Share one line about what you do now and ask what they're up to. Offer an easy next step like a call or coffee. If you need something, say so plainly.
Should I contact former colleagues by email, text or a social network message?
Use the channel you actually used together. Text works for people you were close to and already texted. Email suits former managers and anyone you want to write a few thoughtful lines to. A social network message is fine when it's the only contact you have. Move to email or phone once they reply.